NATO chief Rasmussen given another year in office

BRUSSELS - NATO allies agreed on Wednesday to extend Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen's term as head of the organization by a year to the end of July 2014, the alliance said.

The extension means Rasmussen will be in office until a few months before the planned end of NATO combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014.

NATO chiefs are traditionally appointed for a four-year term with the possibility of extending by a year. The decision to extend Rasmussen's term was taken by NATO ambassadors at a meeting on Wednesday.